The flood situation in Odisha worsened on Wednesday as the death toll in Keonjhar district rose to five, while more than 2.32 lakh people have been affected by heavy rains and flooding across six districts, according to state authorities.
Balasore district emerged as the worst-affected, with 109,429 people impacted, accounting for more than half of the total affected population. Keonjhar reported the highest number of fatalities.
Among the victims was Chandan Pattnaik, a fire services personnel who died of electrocution while on duty after coming into contact with a clothesline that had become live due to an electrical fault. In separate incidents, one person was killed when a wall collapsed, while a 24-year-old woman was swept away by floodwaters, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.
In Bolangir district, two brothers sustained critical injuries after their house collapsed following two days of continuous rainfall.
According to the state’s latest flood status report, more than 30,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas as rescue and relief operations continue.
To strengthen the emergency response, the Odisha government has cancelled leave for all government employees in flood-hit districts and directed them to remain on duty. District collectors have also been authorised to decide on school closures based on local conditions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the severe flooding to an unusually slow-moving low-pressure system that formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal on July 25 and intensified into a depression the following day. Instead of moving inland quickly, the system travelled less than 500 kilometres over four days, resulting in prolonged heavy rainfall and widespread flooding across the state.
Authorities continue to monitor river levels and weather conditions as relief efforts remain underway in the affected districts.
